Homeschool benefits through Santa Barbara County south-coast community college district area
The SBCC Promise pays enrollment fees, required fees, books, and supplies for up to two years at Santa Barbara City College, about $1,224 a year in fees alone at 12 units a term. Graduates of a homeschool in the Santa Barbara Community College District qualify, with no income or grade requirement, if they enroll full time in the fall or spring right after graduating.
Santa Barbara City College Promise
Who qualifies
Graduates in the district
Graduates of a homeschool, court school, or online school in the SBCC District Area are eligible, along with public, private, and alternative high school graduates. The district is smaller than Santa Barbara County, so check your address.
Starts right after graduating
Your student must enroll at SBCC for the fall or spring semester immediately after finishing high school, a GED, or the equivalent.
Is a California resident
California residents, AB 540 students, and undocumented students who meet the other requirements can join.
Enrolls full time
Register for at least 12 units each fall and spring, or an approved reduced load through Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS).
What it is worth
SBCC's 2026-27 fees for California residents are $46 per unit, a $28 health fee, and a $32 bus pass fee each fall and spring term; books and supplies come on top.
- Enrollment fee, one 3-unit class
- $138
- Full-time term (12 units) with health and bus fees
- $612
- Term at 15 units with health and bus fees
- $750
- One year at 12 units a term
- $1,224
- Two years at 12 units a term
- $2,448
The Promise also covers required books and course materials, but SBCC does not publish a dollar limit, so ask the Promise office how books are provided.
From applying to keeping it
- Before graduation
Check your address
Use the district boundary lookup on the Promise eligibility page to confirm your home is in the Santa Barbara Community College District.
- Fall or spring after graduating
Apply and opt in
Apply to SBCC, finish the enrollment steps, set up your Pipeline account, and select Opt-In on the SBCC Promise sign-up form.
- Each academic year
Apply for financial aid
Submit the California College Promise Grant (CCPG), the FAFSA, or the California Dream Act Application every year.
- Each semester
Stay full time and see a counselor
Register for at least 12 units, attend one academic counseling session, and stay in good academic standing. The office checks eligibility at the start, middle, and end of each term.
- Optional summers
Add a summer term
Summer is covered only right after a Promise-covered spring term, with no unit minimum. The summer right after high school graduation is not covered.
What it pays for
Covered
- Enrollment fees
- All required fees, including the bus pass fee
- Required books
- Required course materials and supplies
Not covered
- The summer right after high school graduation
- Terms below 12 units without DSPS approval
- Terms after two years
The Promise covers enrollment and required fees plus required books and course materials for two years of continuous full-time study.
The SBCC Foundation runs and raises money for the Promise, which has served more than 10,000 local students since 2016.
Who to contact
The SBCC Promise office in Administration Building A-202 answers eligibility questions and reviews appeals, Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
promise@sbccfoundation.org 805-730-4406 Eligibility and sign-up
Allan Hancock high-school enrichment
Who qualifies
Is a high school student
High School Enrichment is for students currently in high school. Students in grades K-8 must also file a K-8 appeal with extra documentation.
Sends the homeschool affidavit
Homeschool students attach a copy of the homeschool affidavit and the Certification and Designation of Signatories form to the petition.
Has a 2.0 GPA
Allan Hancock College (AHC) requires a minimum 2.0 GPA, and students below it can appeal.
Stays at 11 units or fewer
A student approved for 12 or more units loses the waiver and pays all fees for the term.
What it is worth
Allan Hancock College charges California residents a $46 enrollment fee per unit.
- One 3-unit class
- $138
- Two 3-unit classes (6 units)
- $276
- Full enrichment load (11 units)
- $506
- Fall and spring at 11 units each
- $1,012
- Health fee you still pay, fall or spring
- $28
The health fee is $22 for summer and winter terms, rising to $23 starting winter 2027, and parking and books are also on you.
From applying to keeping it
- Before the term
Apply to AHC
Submit the online application and choose "Enrolling in high school and college at the same time" as the college enrollment status.
- At least 2 weeks before the term
Email the petition
After you get an AHC student ID, send the High School Enrichment Petition, signed by your student, a parent, and the principal or designee, with the homeschool documents as a PDF to dualenrollment@hancockcollege.edu. Winter 2027 petitions are due December 11, 2026.
- 7 to 10 business days later
Get approved
The college processes petitions in 7 to 10 business days, then your student can register.
- Registration window
Register and pay fees
Register in the myHancock portal, then pay the remaining fees online. An unpaid balance places a hold that blocks future registration.
What it pays for
Covered
- The $46-a-unit enrollment fee
- Up to 11 units a semester
- Fall, winter, spring, and summer terms
Not covered
- Textbooks and course materials
- Health Supervision and Services Fee
- Parking fee
- Student Body Center fee at the Santa Maria campus
- All fees once a student takes 12 or more units
Good to know
Your designated signatory signs as principal
The person named on your Certification and Designation of Signatories form signs as principal; that form records your home school's signers.
Who to contact
Admissions and Records handles High School Enrichment petitions and answers dual enrollment questions at extension 3248.
dualenrollment@hancockcollege.edu 805-922-6966 Dual enrollment page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in California
For the home-based private-school pathway, file the Private School Affidavit during the October 1–15 annual filing period. New schools may use the online filing system during its separate August 1–June 30 opening window. Other legal pathways have their own rules.
California sets these rules:
- Subjects: The private-school pathway must provide instruction in English in the branches of study required for public schools; the parent chooses the materials and course sequence.
- Testing: California does not impose a statewide standardized-testing requirement on private-school students.
- Records: Private schools must keep the records required by California law, including attendance and faculty information.
- Teachers: Private-school instructors must be capable of teaching; California does not issue a separate homeschool-parent credential.
Read the California homeschooling guide See statewide programs in California
Questions parents ask
- Do we need to show financial need for the SBCC Promise?
- No. The Promise is open regardless of income or past academic performance, but your student still has to file the CCPG, FAFSA, or California Dream Act Application each year.
- Can my student take a gap year before the SBCC Promise?
- Not under the published rules. Your student must enroll in the fall or spring semester right after finishing high school or its equivalent. If your plans differ, ask the Promise office about its eligibility review form before you decide.
- Can my student take Allan Hancock classes online?
- Yes. High School Enrichment courses are offered on the Allan Hancock campus or online in fall, winter, spring, and summer.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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